New Releases - 8/6/21
Hitting The Racks
Here's your weekly rundown of what's hitting the new release racks at Grimey's
New Releases
Darin & Brooke Aldridge – This Life We’re Livin’ CD (Billy Blue)
Darin is a veteran of the bluegrass world, having played with top groups such as the Country Gentlemen and Acoustic Syndicate while Brooke entered many contests as a younger vocalist. Once they met, fell in love and married, the duo found themselves in the upper tier of the bluegrass genre. Brooke is the reigning International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Female Vocalist of the Year, her fourth win in a row in that highly competitive category. Darin was named the 2017 IBMA Mentor of the Year.
Leah Blevins – First Time Feeling CD/LP (Crabtree)
Imbued with the grit of vintage country music and the grace of gospel, Leah Blevins' debut album is a scrapbook of sorts, a collage of feelings and memories from a decade spent working in the big city of Nashville while missing the small town she left behind. "It's a timestamp of my twenties," says the Sandy Hook, KY, native. "Here are all the stories and all the experiences from that decade. Here are all the mixed emotions I've felt about things I've gone through and people I've met along the way." First Time Feeling turns tribulations into what Blevins calls "bundles of triumphs," which lend weight to her well-observed lyrics and gravity to her soulful vocals. "It's about coming into womanhood, but it's more than just a coming-of-age story. It's me discovering that I'm capable of writing a song on my own. I'm capable of staying sober. I'm capable of all these things that once felt so far out of reach. Within those walls these songs had to be unapologetically honest."
Cochemea – Vol. II: Baca Sewa LP (Daptone)
The Dap-Kings' electro-sax space warrior returns with a groove-heavy sequel to All My Relations, an expressive, transcendental voyage through the archive of his indigenous roots and beyond. [Indie exclusive ‘Daptone dealer’ amethyst color vinyl with die-cut sleeve.]
Darkthrone – Eternal Hails LP (Peaceville)
With the highly revered Norwegians remaining ever dedicated to the art of the riff after 35 years of existence, Darkthrone returns for album number nineteen and a new dose of metallic godliness. [Limited edition green vinyl.]
Travis Denning – Dirt Road Down CDEP (Mercury Nashville)
The second EP from the country singer-songwriter includes five new songs, as well as a new alternate version of his hit single, “Abby”.
Enji - Ursgal LP (Squama)
On her second album, Berlin-based Mongolian singer Enji creates a unique blend of jazz and folk with the thousand-year-old traditions of Mongolian music, and her lyrics tell personal stories about unbearable distances and the oddness of being on earth. Born in Ulaanbaatar to a working-class family, Enji was raised in a yurt and was always drawn to music, dance and literature. A program by the local Goethe Institute sparked her passion for jazz and eventually led her to become a performing artist. Inspired by the music of Carmen McRae, Ella Fitzgerald, and Nancy Wilson, Enji started writing songs of her own, cherishing this newfound means of expression. Ursgal is her first record to feature her own original compositions.
Foxing – Draw Down The Moon LP (Hopeless)
Hot pink indie exclusive vinyl. An album about cosmic insignificance that was inspired by games such as Dungeons And Dragons and Zork, Draw Down The Moon was produced by Andy Hull of Manchester Orchestra [CD edition due August 13.]
Hippo Campus – Good Dog, Bad Dream CDEP/12”/Cassette (Grand Jury)
Good Dog, Bad Dream is the new EP from Hippo Campus, and the St. Paul, Minnesota five-piece's first new music since their 2018 sophomore album Bambi. It finds the band at their most honest and vulnerable to date, with five new intensely cathartic tracks tinged with confessions and dark humor. It's a collection of songs that came together with ease, and without pressure -- a wildly different experience than the typical Hippo Campus recording process. The band - made up of vocalist/guitarists Jake Luppen and Nathan Stocker, drummer Whistler Allen, bassist Zach Sutton, and trumpeter DeCarlo Jackson -- assembled Good Dog, Bad Dream with a genuine sense of freedom and enjoyment as part of their first sessions in their new Minneapolis studio space. It’s a celebration of brotherhood, and the “all for one, one for all” mentality that has permeated Hippo Campus’ work since the very beginning. [Limited-edition indie store exclusive red marble vinyl with b-side etching.]
Brian Jackson, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, & Adrian Younge – Jazz Is Dead 8 LP (Jazz Is Dead)
JID008 is the first full album released by the great man in 20 years and it's a testament to his multifaceted talents that while there are moments throughout that hint at his game-changing history and track record, for the most part it reveals a musician whose considerable lessons learned from the past only serve to keep his eyes firmly fixed on the future. It's a masterclass in unbridled and open-minded creativity, no different from what Brian did half a century ago. The ease and comfort with which his ideas integrate with those of musicians a generation younger than him bears this out. To listen to this album is to hear a hot up-and-coming musician who also happens to be a major jazz-funk legend.
Tito Jackson – Under Your Spell CD (Sono Music Group)
California-based Tito Jackson is supported on his debut blues album by an array of superlative special guests - George Benson, Joe Bonamassa, Marlon Jackson, Eddie Levert, Kenny Neal, Bobby Rush and Stevie Wonder, who all add their special talents to the proceedings. Above it all though, Jackson's innate abilities as a singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer and arranger shine through brilliantly, creating a spectacular record that is destined for airplay and rave reviews in several formats.
Neil Leonard - Sonance for the Precession LP (Xi Records)
Excerpts from a sound installation based on alto saxophone recordings and electronic sound. "Mr. Leonard creates a haunting, rhythmic, chantlike score, secular spiritual music for a New World. After leaving the gallery I kept hearing it, with delight, in my head, on the street, all afternoon." --Holland Cotter, The New York Times. The electroacoustic composition Sonance for the Precession was commissioned by Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA). The original composition played from the dome of the historic Hopkins Observatory, the oldest working astronomical observatory in the United States. The durational work explored ancient ideas connecting the precession, or movement, of the equinox with the harmonic series. Each day, the music began just a minute or two earlier than the previous day -- mirroring the disappearing sunlight as day turned to night and autumn shifted to winter. The excerpts collected here constitute a stunning long-form composition that brings the sense of contemplation, cosmic motion and intimate timbral nuance of the installation to your living room.
Lingua Ignota – Sinner Get Ready CD/2xLP+MP3 (Sargent House)
New release from Kristen Hayter, the classically trained multi-instrumentalist, performance artist, and vocalist known as Lingua Ignota. The follow up to her critically acclaimed break out Caligula, Sinner Get Ready is an abrasive, unsettling portrait of devotion and betrayal, judgment and consequence, set in the derelict landscape of rural Pennsylvania, a neglected region deeply embedded with a particular god-fearing brand of Christianity, and where Hayter currently lives. [Indie exclusive opaque red vinyl.]
Willy Mason – Already Dead CD/LP (Cooking Vinyl)
Magic, miracles, ghosts, world leaders; these days it seems there is little left to believe in. Lies outweigh truth and even truth can be dangerous. Raising everyone's spirits Already Dead – the fourth album and the first for nine years from Willy Mason – explores honesty and deception, anonymity in the digital age, good intentions with unexpected consequences, freedom, colonialism, love, God, and purpose because, its storyteller says, now is the time to restore some much-needed faith. "Already Dead is a spiritual state to aspire to; it is freedom from the trappings and inhibitions of one's ego, culture, and mythology. It is freedom and love and freedom to love in the face of death," tells Willy of the philosophy behind the writing. "It's about the necessary destruction of one's mythology; mythology of species, sex, race, nation, self. It's about the pain and tragedy that comes with such destruction, but also about the freedom, possibility and opportunity for reconciliation; reconciliation with the natural world and with each other." [Limited-edition white vinyl.]
Sean McConnell – A Horrible Beautiful Dream CD (Sean McConnell)
Singer, songwriter and producer Sean McConnell's latest collection of songs A Horrible Beautiful Dream approaches the difficult task of asking questions of what one really thinks they know, in the simultaneous struggle of not being afraid of the answers that emerge. Musically, the project wraps McConnell's rich voice in moments of dark intimacy as well as vivid brightness, and guests such as The Wood Brothers, Natalie Hemby, Fancy Hagood, Audra Mae and Dan Tyminski underscore McConnell's versatility as creative partner and commentator. McConnell's goal in the creation of A Horrible Beautiful Dream was an album reflecting the chaotic time in which it was made, but still striving for timelessness. "You can look at the suffering of the world and you can look at the beauty of the world and you can hold them in your hands and just be present with that and not have to even understand it," he says. [Vinyl due 9/24.]
Julie Michaels – Not In Chronological Order LP (Republic)
Debut full-length album from the Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum selling singer/songwriter.
Geoffrey O'Connor – For As Long As I Can Remember LP (Chapter Music)
Grey & white color vinyl. The one-time frontman for euphoric guitar pop band Crayon Fields returns with his first solo album in seven years. For As Long As I Can Remember explores late night tales of un-sublimated desire, a synth-pop cocoon world where obsessions drift slowly into the rear view mirror and exert an unsteadying backwards pull.
Sponge – Lavatorium LP (Cleopatra)
New album from the '90s alternative rock giants. [Limited-edition clear vinyl.]
Andrea Von Kampen – That Spell CD (Fantasy)
Andrea von Kampen's That Spell is an emotionally evocative powerhouse. It's cinematic and sweeping – with literary references, reflections on nature, and above all the ability to transport you to a memory, a place in time, or somewhere you saw in a dream with vivid lucidity. Like a film director, she works as an aural auteur building scenes with her rapturous voice and the plaintive plucks of her guitar strings. [Vinyl edition due September 10.]
The Wandering Hearts – The Wandering Hearts CD (Cooking Vinyl)
The Wandering Hearts return with their self-titled new album. The trio – Tara Wilcox, Chess Whiffin and AJ Dean-Revington – started writing for the album by drawing on personal experiences. Themes and stories emerged that reflected how they've supported each other, both within music and life in general. They're topics that are universally relatable: life, death, love and fear. To maximize the potential of the material, The Wandering Hearts called upon the expertise of producers Simone Felice and David Baron. The duo's magic touch had previously inspired numerous acclaimed artists including The Lumineers, Jade Bird and Bat For Lashes. Most of the album was crafted at the pair's mountain top studio near Woodstock, NY. It was a location that further fueled the band's creativity, from the striking scenery of the local area to the historic instruments, notably a celesta once owned by Thelonious Monk. The result is an album which brims with hope, even in the darkest of times. [Vinyl due 9/03.]
White Denim – Crystal Bullets b/w King Tears 12” (English Mallard)
White Denim has long pulled hard at the parameters of rock & roll, admitting garage punk, soul, psychedelic boogie, prog, jazz and country blues while holding onto its vital goodtime core, and their up-tempo drive has produced a body of work defined as much by stellar musicianship as off-the-chain exhilaration. Energy and adventurism have always been paramount.
Chris Young – Famous Friends CD/LP (SME Nashville)
New release from the country singer/songwriter. The album is named after the song “Famous Friends”, his hit collaboration with fellow country artist Kane Brown.
Reissues, Compilations, Live Recordings & Vault Excavations...
Anciients – Heart Of Oak [Reissue/2016] 2xLP (Season Of Mist)
Anciients – Voice Of The Void [Reissue/2016] 2xLP (Season Of Mist)
Limited-edition color vinyl reissues of the Vancouver, BC progressive stoner sludge metal band’s first two albums.
Animals As Leaders – Weightless [Reissue/2011] LP (Prosthetic)
Two color vinyl pressings: pink and yellow. When unknown virtuoso guitarist Tosin Abasi released his debut solo album under the moniker Animals As Leaders in 2009, few would have predicted the band's meteoric rise over the next two years. Although Abasi earned acclaim as the lead guitarist in the Washington, D.C.-based metalcore act Reflux, it was still a long-shot that an instrumental album of progressive metal with jazz, electronic and ambient flourishes would develop anything more than a cult following. Whereas the group's self-titled debut was a collaboration between Abasi and Periphery's Misha Mansoor, 2011 sophomore effort, Weightless features the recording debut of Animals as Leaders, the true band: Abasi (guitars), Javier Reyes (guitars) and Navene Koperweis (drums).
Sonny Clark – My Conception [Reissue/1979] LP (Blue Note)
The soulful and elegant pianist Sonny Clark brings his A-game to My Conception, a program of all-Clark originals recorded in 1959 but not released until 1979. Joining the pianist are a cast of hard bop masters including Hank Mobley on tenor saxophone, Donald Byrd on trumpet, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. Reissued as part of The Blue Note Tone Poet Series: all-analog, remastered 180gm vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.
Drive-By Truckers – Plan 9 Records July 13, 2006 2xCD/3xLP (New West)
On July 13, 2006, the Drive-By Truckers set up shop at Plan 9 Records in Richmond, VA. It was the 25th Anniversary of the store. The band performed to a packed house and played a blistering set of fan-favorites featuring the songs, "18 Wheels of Love", "Let There Be Rock", "Goddamn Lonely Love" and "Daddy's Cup". [Limited-edition green vinyl.]
Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand [Reissue/2004] LP+MP3 (Domino)
Franz Ferdinand – You Could Have It So Much Better [Reissue/2009] LP+MP3 (Domino)
Franz Ferdinand – Tonight [Reissue/2009] LP+MP3 (Domino)
Vinyl reissues of the Scottish band’s first three albums (their eponymous debut won the Mercury Prize).
George Harrison – All Things Must Pass [Reissue/1970] 2xCD/3xLP/5xCD+Blu-ray/3xLP/5xLP/8xLP (Capitol)
In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass, a suite of various lavish editions is available: standard double-CD and triple-LP featuring the new mix of the album; triple-CD and five-LP editions which are expanded with 17 tracks of demo recordings, session outtakes, and studio jams; a five-CD + Blu-ray edition which 70 tracks total, including 47 bonus (42 previously unreleased) demo recordings, session outtakes and studio jams, plus Blu-ray audio of the main album in hi-res stereo, 5.1 surround and Dolby Atmos; an eight-LP edition which contains all of the audio of the five-CD edition (minus the Blu-ray); and an Uber Deluxe edition which combines the five-CD + Blu-ray and 8xLP editions in expanded packaging with a 96-page book. [Free George Harrison lithograph while supplies last!]
Brian May – Back To The Light CD/2xCD/2xCD+LP (UMe)
Brian May’s first post-Queen solo album, originally released in 1992, has been newly remastered by Bob Ludwig from the original master tapes and personally overseen by Brian May. The double-CD edition contains alternative versions, B-sides and live tracks. [A lift top box set featuring both the expanded double-CD and an exclusive 180gm white color viny pressing is also availablefor special order.]
Sam Mehran - Cold Brew LP (Domino Recording Co.)
Cold Brew is a posthumous collection of instrumental rock music from musician Sam Mehran, recorded in Los Angeles between April and May 2018 and compiled under the guidance of Sam’s father, Abbas Mehran. In the mid 00's, Mehran co-founded the punk band Test Icicles, of which Devonte Hynes (Blood Orange) was also a member. Following that band's split, Mehran released albums under a variety of monikers, including Matrix Metals and Outer Limits Recordings. This release marks the first time his solo music has been released under his own name. Indie exclusive purple vinyl pressing.
Moondog - Snaketime Series LP (Moondog Records)
Exact reproduction of the very rare original Moondog label version of one of the earliest Moondog LPs. Originally recorded in New York City, 1956. From the liner notes of the Prestige release of the album: "Moondog possesses an admirable virtue: he perceives music everywhere in life. The collection of vignettes contained in this album are fully realized attempts to integrate music and sound. Music and life's sounds are inseparable to Moondog. Thus, the complete 'Lullaby' contains the cry of the baby; a string duo appears comfortably at home in a 'Frog Bog' setting. Moondog chooses deftly amongst all of music to elicit his surprising couplings. A pair of violins bowing a Bach-influenced counterpoint might be heard over a rhythmic pattern of Cuban drumming. The ability to find unexpectedly complementary areas of music is an essential ingredient in these miniature portraits of life's many parts." --Robert S. Altshuler.
The Necks - Mindset LP (RER Vinyl)
Long-awaited reissue of The Necks' 2011 masterpiece, Mindset. Always different, here the Necks resolutely layer polyrhythmic material to form seething blocks of sound -- in two long pieces, one more stripped back to the live trio, the other featuring multiple strata of swirling Hammonds, noise-guitar, and electronics. Their 16th release still resonates on its own.
Willie Nelson – Make Way For Willie Nelson [Reissue/1967] LP (Friday Music)
180gm audiophile blue color vinyl pressing. Out of print for decades on vinyl, Willie Nelson's pre-outlaw era 1967 RCA Victor release, Make Way For Willie Nelson puts the music legend's versatile interpretation skills on full display with eleven countrypolitan covers of pop and country favorites to go along with the lone original One in a Row. Teaming up with Elvis Presley producer Felton Jarvis, Willie's rich and breezy vocals are front and center throughout, helping establish him as not just a go-to songwriter but a gifted performer in his own right.
Nico – Drama Of Exile [Reissue/1981] LP (Modern Harmonic)
As one critic memorably put it, “when Nico spoke it was like coffin-lids creaking. When she sang it was like listening to ravens taking off, 13 at a time.” 1981’s Drama Of Exile features originals along with stoic takes on Bowie and The Velvet Underground.
OMD – Liberator [Reissue/1993] LP (Republic)
OMD – Universal [Reissue/1996] LP (Republic)
Vinyl reissues of Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark’s ninth and tenth albums.
OSI – Free [Reissue/2006] CD/2xLP (Metal Blade)
CD and limited-edition translucent red color vinyl pressings of the prog rock band’s sophomore album.
Buck Owens And His Buckaroos – I've Got You On My Mind Again [Reissue/1968] CD (Omnivore)
Buck Owens And His Buckaroos – Sweet Rosie Jones [Reissue/1968] CD (Omnivore)
Buck Owens And His Buckaroos – Tall Dark Stranger [Reissue/1969] CD (Omnivore)
Three late ‘60s albums from the country music legend; available for the first time on stand-alone CD.
Staind – It’s Been Awhile: Live From Foxwoods 2019 CD (BMG)
In 2019 after a five-year hiatus, Staind reunited for some unforgettable festival performances, and a hometown reunion show at Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket, CT where their new album, Live: It's Been Awhile was recorded. Featuring takes on the Top 5 singles "It's Been Awhile", "So Far Away", "For You", "Right Here", and "Fade", the 15-track set serves as the multi-platinum rockers' first album in nine years. "These were the first grouping of shows we played together in 2019, when we were gearing up for what was to be a very busy 2020...that never happened," says Staind frontman Aaron Lewis. "I'm glad we captured that energy here and can share it with those who couldn't be at Foxwoods." [A stand-alone DVD edition is also available. Vinyl edition due September 17.]
Barbara Streisand – Release Me 2 LP (Sony Legacy)
Archive collection. The only artist to ever achieve #1 albums in six consecutives decades, Barbra Streisand's Release Me 2 is yet another musical gem in her unparalleled career. The follow-up to her acclaimed 2012 album, Release Me, this new collection contains previously unreleased tracks from Barbra's vault, including duets with Willie Nelson and Kermit The Frog. [Picture disc pressing also available.]
Richard Swift – KFC b/w A Man’s Man 7” (Secretly Canadian)
Written in the wee hours of the night, the late Richard Swift's “KFC” is a winding sardonic monologue about a rough night of food poisoning following a quick dinner of fried chicken. On the track, Swift's vocal is pitched down and distorted while accompanied by cooing vocal harmonies and drums.
McCoy Tyner – Expansions [Reissue/1969] LP (Blue Note)
Pianist McCoy Tyner was an acknowledged force of nature. On the aptly named Expansions, Tyner fronts a remarkable band consisting of Woody Shaw, Wayne Shorter, Gary Bartz, Ron Carter, Herbie Lewis, and Freddie Waits. Reissued as part of The Blue Note Tone Poet Series: all-analog, remastered 180gm vinyl.
Various Artists – Amerikinda: 20 Years Of Dualtone CD (Dualtone)
Beloved Nashville-based indie label Dualtone Records celebrates their 20th Anniversary this year with the release of Amerikinda: 20 Years of Dualtone. The album features a slew of Dualtone artists and alumni including The Lumineers, Brett Dennen, Gregory Alan Isakov, Mt. Joy, Shovels & Rope, The Lone Bellow, Langhorne Slim, Shakey Graves, The Wild Reeds, and more all covering each other's songs in celebration of the label's landmark birthday. "The core of the label has stayed the same, in a lot of ways," said label president Paul Roper. "Most of us have been here almost a decade together. We had to make a conscious decision to not change our signing philosophy and to not bring on fifteen new employees, and to maintain the hustle and that ethos of 'don't forget where you came from.' Giving albums our full dedication, giving them their own appropriate time and space to find an audience, is something that has always been important to us.” [Vinyl edition due September 17.]
Various Artists - Country Funk III: 1975-1982 CD/2xLP (Light In The Attic)
With Country Funk Volume III 1975-1982, Light In The Attic is here to say there’s more funk left in the trunk yet. This time around, the jeans are tighter, the hair is bigger and the disco ball spins along to a country-synth beat. Produced and compiled by Jason Morgan (Bay Area DJ/collector) and Patrick McCarthy (co-producer/compiler of Volume I & II), the tracklist features regulars Dolly Parton, J.J. Cale, Larry Jon Wilson and Tony Joe White (whose track is released here for the first time) alongside new faces like Steven Soles, Gary & Sandy, Conway Twitty, Travis Wammack, Billy Swan, Rob Galbraith, Brian Hyland, and so many more. As the 1970s began to wane and the 1980s approached, the Country Funk pallet expanded to include disco beats, heavy Moog synth bass lines and more clavinet than you could shake a stick at. Volume III shows artists continuing to buck traditional country tropes and production while embracing modern soul, disco, and coked-up 80s synth-pop. This is the true soundtrack of the Urban Cowboy. Saddle up, partners.